15 Renowned Dancers Perform Benefit Concert In Support Of Artist Relief Tree

Online dance businesses Dance ED Tips LLC and The Streamlined Studio have been producing online dance performances since the beginning of the pandemic to financially support freelance artists who have been hit hard by COVID-19. They are now going a step further by assembling prominent dancers from across the U.S. to produce a national virtual dance benefit concert on Friday, June 12 at 8pm EST-- We DANCE for Artist Relief Tree -- with a goal of raising $10,000 in support of online fundraiser Artist Relief Tree (ART).

The concert is free to watch, but viewers are encouraged to donate to ART, which was established to support artists affected financially by COVID-19. This event focuses on uplifting the messages the performers want to express while also celebrating dance's power to create joy and to heal. The show will feature performances by 15 renowned dance artists. Some of these include Broadways stars Chip Abbott & Jessica Lee Goldyn, renowned dance companies AXIS Dance Company and Dyance Harvey-Salaam of Forces of Nature Dance Theater Company, and hip hop artists Donovan Gibbs & Carlos Neto. There will also be a moving tribute to the Juilliard School Class of 2020 performed by two of this year's graduating seniors, Naya Lovell and Matilda Mackey.

The evening will be hosted by international musical theater performer Nick Raynor and will be streamed on Facebook by ART (facebook.com/artistrelieftree), Dance ED Tips (facebook.com/danceedtips), and by the Streamlined Studio (facebook.com/thestreamlinedstudio).

Olivia Mode-Cater, CEO of Dance ED Tips LLC and co-producer of We DANCE for ART, said, "Since the beginning of the pandemic Dance ED Tips and the Streamlined Studio have believed in and supported Artist Relief Tree's mission. This virtual dance concert is not only a fundraiser to help our fellow artists and friends. It is also a celebration of our community's resilience and creativity during hard times."

Micaela Royer, CEO the Streamlined Studio and co-producer of We DANCE for ART, said, "Dancers are resilient artists that the world needs now more than ever. Our goal is to celebrate that. We DANCE for Artist Relief Tree is specifically produced to provide our local and national communities with a platform to share their work and to raise funds to support artists financially so that they can keep creating."

ART Co-Founder Morgan Brophy said, "The goal is to provide wide-reaching support for artists of all disciplines via a simple application process, quick and easy access to funds, and full transparency. We cannot hope to replace an artist's lost income entirely. Our mission is to promote sharing our collective resources to help keep the artistic community alive. Like the tree in our name, we want to bring each root and branch of our community together to support each other."

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